Waupaca Foundry donates saw to tech ed

The machine will be used in welding and metal fabrication classes, according to Terri Stults, the technology education instructor.

Stultz said students will use the saw to complete assigned coursework. They will gain experience in the use of industrial-grade machines, achieve greater accuracy in their work, and have a high product output.

When working on their assignments, tech ed students use blueprints to cut the required parts for the production process they are working on. They learn to perform the correct set up and safety procedures, just as they would in an industrial setting.

Using a forge donated previously by the foundry, four students built 6-foot long by 1-inch square steel pry bars that they needed to move the new cut-off saw into its correct position.

Prior to this donation, students used a saw with far less accuracy than the Baileigh saw. This caused a bottleneck in the production cycle.

The old saw can still be used, but only for rough dimension cuts.

Stultz said the new saw will enhance the students’ educational learning curve, precision and productivity.

During the last year and a half, students have welded and produced racks for welding cylinders, a TIG welding table, band saw stands, machine stands, two cross country ski trail groomers for the school district, animal feeding stands for the ag-science department, battery stands for the custodians, and a new barbecue grill that students can use following a job well done.